Ideas—Ensuring the Jewish Future
Return On Investment Los Angeles (ROILA)
Return On Investment Los Angeles (ROILA) would reduce and ultimately completely eliminate the costs of tuition for students of LA Jewish elementary, middle, and high schools. This goal would be achieved by interconnecting the four pillars of the Jewish community -- parents, schools, synagogues, and Mega-donors simultaneously via a Super-Fund born out of a community planned-giving endowment project.
The four elements would all be married into a mutually-beneficial system where every segment both gives and receives at the same time. The Super-Fund steadily reduces the costs of tuition until the interest being generated eventually eliminates the need for tuition completely.…
The Levite Line
The idea for which I'm submitting is to support and expand The Levite Line. The Levite Line is an organization which began approximately 3 years ago, though it was originally envisioned over 30 years ago. This vision began when I read the Torah for the first time. The Levite Line is now a California 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. According to the written Torah, the Levites, descendants of Levi, the third son of Jacob or Israel, were to be the keepers of the covenant with God, in all its religious aspects. While these ancestors were not successful in fulfilling their God-given responsibility,…
Parentright
Birthright is a wonderful and success story. However you are asking children to get connected to jewish roots after they have graduated from HS or college. In many cases, it's too late for the roots take hold.
I suggest that we offer a new program called Parentright. In this way, we give parents the ability to pass the Jewish identity onto thier kids and start the kids on their Jewish identity before they go on Birthright.
ePunim.org
When your bubbe said you had "such a shayna punim" she wasn't kidding. So, nu, maybe you should share that punim with the world!
ePunim.org will be a FREE social networking site for Jews in Los Angeles, Ventura and Orange Counties. Not only will Jewish people in these areas be able to access free Web pages where they can upload personal profiles, photos, status updates and blogs - as well as connect with family and friends - ePunim.org will also be a community hub.
After registering with ePunim.org, synagogues can post information and events; Jewish charities can provide donation information;…
Urban Adamah: The Jewish Sustainability Corps
A vacant lot can become an urban oasis, a place where people come to be nourished on every level. Urban Adamah is a unique Jewish response to the need for healthy food in poverty-challenged neighborhoods while also empowering young adults through their farming, community building and leadership training experiences to become agents of change for a socially just and environmentally sustainable world.
Our main program is a three-month intensive leadership-training residency for Jewish young adults in their 20s (fellows). Key to its success, the fellowship is based on an intensive service-learning model. Fellows live and work together full time, and…
Madliik - Birthright Shabbat
Initially, to provide a community level social networking app where group members agree to host a Friday night dinner on a regular basis to which they will invite other group members and ... a minimum of one non-group member, to experience the joy of a home-cooked Shabbat meal.
Eventually - To insure that at the…
Yalla - Youth Access to Hebrew Language Literacy and Advancement
Only 20% of Jewish teens in Los Angeles are enrolled in a Jewish day school. The remaining 80% either attend secular private schools or public schools and as a result have no opportunity to learn Hebrew apart from an after school Hebrew high or a Sunday school. For a variety of reasons including after school activities and Sunday obligations, this is not a generally appealing arrangement.…
The Fireplace - Where Jews Are Growing Somewhere!
Currently, LA does not have a location that feels like home to young Jews. While young Jews in LA are very far from their Jewish roots, they are not opposed to meaningful Jewish experiences if presented in an appealing way.
Young Jews want to want to spend their down time meeting people in a cool, non-judgmental, appealing atmosphere. They are willing to explore Judaism if it's a choice presented in a non-threatening way. People don't want to feel obligated by Judaism; they want to choose it because it adds value to their lives and empowers them. A local hangout with…
The Virtual Citizenship of Israel (TM) Initiative
Virtual Citizenship affirms one's commitment to the right of Israel to exist as a Jewish democratic state and allows individuals around the world to identify as a member of the global community dedicated to the concept, history and reality of Israel. Uniting Virtual Citizens around the world will serve as a demographic demonstration of the support for Israel that is spread throughout the world and can…
New School for Jewish Identity
New School for Jewish Identity gives kids a place to go after-school for the following:
a) Jewish Education-Hebrew Language, Jewish Values, Jewish History, Prayer
b) Expressive Arts-Theatre, Dance, Painting, Songwriting, Playwriting, Meditation, Mindful Awareness, Yoga, Singing and Music
c) Kehilla/Community-unifying the Jewish community because all Jews are welcome
d) Israel Now-What's happening in Israel right…